Marketing Things is now Marketing Fix
Over the past three weeks, I spent too many hours researching the marketing newsletter landscape.
I was surprised to see that most Reddit forums and lists recommend the not-so-great newsletters by the industry's ancients: HubSpot, Moz, Neal Patel (or, as I found out, #stealpatel).
That's not what the cool-kid marketers read these days, or is it?
I hope not because there are lots of brilliant marketing newsletters out there, most written by individual experts-slash-creators. In next Friday's newsletter, I'll share my ten favourites.
But what do the readers want?! I asked myself on the long contemplative walks, getting lost in Hackney's alleyways.
And what are the unique subjects that I can write about in ways that nobody else can (or does)?
Under the peony sky painted by the rare January sun, I finally saw an outline of The Idea.
I'm going to focus this newsletter on marketing strategy & trends.
The Marketing Fix promise
Expert marketing advice. Unapologetic opinions.
Every Friday, you'll get the latest secret-sauce 🥫🥫🥫 growth strategies & marketing trends with feisty commentary. And 1-2 Fridays per month, you'll get a free template and/or a deep dive into marketing strategies I've used with 50+ startups.
The Moomin GIFs, of course, are here to stay.
Without further ado, here's what else was new this week...
This week's hot takes
🔥 Who stole our organic traffic?
In a LinkedIn post, John Bonini spelled out what we've all been witnessing: decline in organic search traffic. Illustrating the post was a chart of HubSpot's organic traffic down to the 2017 level.
"It's not just an algorithm change. This is more than a technological trend. This is a behavioral trend," Bonini wrote. "People click less because AI gives them the answers more quickly (and without any other BS.)"
Here's my take on this.
As a blogger myself, it is sad to lose SEO as a key acquisition channel. I sort of gave up already 24 months ago when content teams began publishing hundreds on AI-generated SEO articles. I suppose they're at least half of the Grinch figure that stole our SEOxmas. And perhaps they still watching their organic traffic grow.
In any case, my blog's SEO curve, too, looks like the elephant-filled snake from The Little Prince.
The reason I'm not particularly worried is that already for the past 20-or-so months, my key acquisition channels have been LinkedIn, this newsletter, and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Ironic or not but all these channels are the ones with most human interaction (v.s. AI-generated answers, albeit I imagine there's some automated commenting going on).
Another common thread between the efficient marketing channels of 2025 is that in order to succeed, you need to work hard, be original, and have ideas.
Reading the LinkedIn post on organic traffic's decline, my key takeaway was that the old strategies don't work anymore. The fat gathered during 2015s is running out and it's time for even the sleepiest marketers to wake up from the winter hibernation.
You can start by reading my previous newsletter on 55+ predictions for 2025 marketing trends.
🔥 Please stop saying $5,000 in 30 seconds
Another LinkedIn post that caught my attention (and spite) this week was a comment-bait that claimed: "You can generate $5000 worth of content in 30 seconds for FREE with this automation."
Oh well here we go, I thought.
The thing that really gets me is that there are almost a thousand people who comment to get that stuff.
I just couldn't help writing a reply and was too late to stop my finger from tapping Enter to submit. I discovered that many people feel the same way... Not all hope is lost!
🔥 I did a LinkedIn giveaway of my own
And I have to say, it's hard work to create a viral content giveaway on LinkedIn.
Of course, you've got to create the prize itself (in my case, a Notion library of 80 marketing audit questions). But you also have to set up a landing page to collect emails, and an automated email flow that goes out to the people who fill in the form.
Not to speak of sending DMs to all 170+ people who commented. There's your human engagement for you...
But you know what... The LinkedIn post got 17,000 impressions and – the thing you probably want to know – 150+ new subscribers to this newsletter. The landing page form was filled in by 250+ people so also by many existing subscribers.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Will I do it again soon? You bet.
Coming next week
I wish I had more time to source & share a list of the great newsletters and posts that came out this week.
Promise I'll do it in the next Friday's dispatch.
And of course, the list the ten marketing newsletters actually worth reading.
Pls share your thoughts
... on the mystical-experimental change of this newsletter.
Do you like it? Or did you like the old version with personal projects' breakdowns and fewer hot takes? What else would make you smile, contentedly, when spotting a new Marketing Fix in your inbox?
Simply reply to this email or DM me on LinkedIn.
And if you want to come learn marketing auditing with me, there's still about 8h left to apply to the 6-week DYI Marketing Audit course which you'll leave with a 60-page audit doc and a clear vision of your 2025 marketing priorities.
Have a good one, and stay clear of AI!
Thanks for reading!
Karola